I've got a WD20EURS on the way for an emergency drive replacement for a 648 series 3, and just want to make sure my understanding of the current upgrade discussion about the 648 model is correct before the new drive arrives.

I have a WinMFS backup sourced from a 648 version k 1TB drive, not from an original 250GB drive.

Can I do the following to fully prep the new WD20EURS for the installation in the 648?

1. Restore my version k WinMFS backup of the 1TB drive to the WD20EURS (with optimized format and 1024MB swap size)
2. Let it expand when prompted
3. Supersize
4. Install drive in the Tivo and have access to all 318HD HRS

I've got a WD20EURS on the way for an emergency drive replacement for a 648 series 3, and just want to make sure my understanding of the current upgrade discussion about the 648 model is correct before the new drive arrives.

I have a WinMFS backup sourced from a 648 version k 1TB drive, not from an original 250GB drive.

Can I do the following to fully prep the new WD20EURS for the installation in the 648?

1. Restore my version k WinMFS backup of the 1TB drive to the WD20EURS (with optimized format and 1024MB swap size)
2. Let it expand when prompted
3. Supersize
4. Install drive in the Tivo and have access to all 318HD HRS

Or am I missing something here?

It may not offer you the option on the optimized partition layout, it may just do it the way the S3s come from the factory (which is "with", as has been the case since the first S2).

It might be only when doing mfscopy (from another drive) rather than restore (from a .tbk file) that it offers that.

So, you run WD's long test on the WD20EURS before you put it into service (while you carefully examine the power supply for bad capacitors), then you connect it to a PC with a motherboard that's not a GigaByte* brand, then you boot into Windows and start WinMFS.

Then you click select drive, make sure you select the EURS, click on restore, point it towards the correct .tbk file, specify the swap size, click start and wait until it says that it's finished.

At that point there will be 250GB worth of 13 partitions on there and a 14th really big Apple Free, but you won't see that unless you say no when it says you have extra space and asks if you want to use it.

If you say yes, it'll then say something about do you want to limit the partition size to 1.2TB or something about that size. Choose whichever option says do not limit the size.

After it does that you'll have a 3rd MFS pair where the Apple Free partition was, filling the drive.

I just completed my upgrade from the original 250GB internal plus a 500GB external to a new WD20EURS using WinMFS only. Like Unitron suggested, I ran the long WD diagnostic first to help ensure I was starting out with a good drive. I then proceeded like was suggested in my last post. I'll show what my partition tables looked like both before and after the expansion.

As you can see, the number of partitions increased by 2 and the last one now has a size of about 1.6TB. I set the swap size to 1024MB as suggested. I don't anticipate any issues as others have not had any to my best recollection.

Good luck with your upgrade. Do look at the caps. I had previously had mine replaced so I was good to go.

I just completed my upgrade from the original 250GB internal plus a 500GB external to a new WD20EURS using WinMFS only. Like Unitron suggested, I ran the long WD diagnostic first to help ensure I was starting out with a good drive. I then proceeded like was suggested in my last post. I'll show what my partition tables looked like both before and after the expansion.

As you can see, the number of partitions increased by 2 and the last one now has a size of about 1.6TB. I set the swap size to 1024MB as suggested. I don't anticipate any issues as others have not had any to my best recollection.

Good luck with your upgrade. Do look at the caps. I had previously had mine replaced so I was good to go.

Yes, I did the divorce and lost the recordings. Fortunately, I copied the ones I wanted to save to both my computer and another TiVo. Unitron, thanks for the heads up about the curl.conf issue on the TiVo Desktop. It saved me ALOT of time and headache.

My WD20EURS just arrived, and I'm currently running the Western Digital Lifeguard Diagnostics Extended test via eSATA connecton in Windows.

Before starting the test I dd the restore, and the steps did not go as expected.

First, I selected the 1TB backup file and restored it wth a 1024MB swap. It asked me if I wanted to expand, and I said yes. At this point it said it was done, but when I clicked the close button I got the message "are you sure you want to cancel and close?" I first said no, but then when nothing happened clicked close again and then answered yes.

My WD20EURS just arrived, and I'm currently running the Western Digital Lifeguard Diagnostics Extended test via eSATA connecton in Windows.

Before starting the test I dd the restore, and the steps did not go as expected.

First, I selected the 1TB backup file and restored it wth a 1024MB swap. It asked me if I wanted to expand, and I said yes. At this point it said it was done, but when I clicked the close button I got the message "are you sure you want to cancel and close?" I first said no, but then when nothing happened clicked close again and then answered yes.

Are you saying that you put the image on the EURS before you ran the long test on it?

Yes. The test is humming along now, with 4H 39M to go. This way when it's done (assuming it passes the test) I can pop it right in and see how it works. I know this extended test works with an imaged drive since it confirmed the Tivo imaged drive I'm replacing had bad/unreparable sectors, also validating the Tivo's kickstart 54 extended test failure.

Sorry if this has been asking before, but I'm gonna upgrade my series 3 HD for first time. I'm thinking to use a Mediasonic HF2-SU3S2 ProBox 4 bay hard drive enclosure, it has eSATA, with the winMFS in order to upgrade the hard drive.

Sorry if this has been asking before, but I'm gonna upgrade my series 3 HD for first time. I'm thinking to use a Mediasonic HF2-SU3S2 ProBox 4 bay hard drive enclosure, it has eSATA, with the winMFS in order to upgrade the hard drive.

Should it work?

Thanks for help

You're going to use the Mediasonic to connect the hard drives to the PC to do the copy and expand?

The Mediasonic is not going to be connected to the TiVo itself?

If it allows the PC to see both drives as separate drives I don't see why it won't work.

Yes, the idea is to put both drives in the enclosure, the old 160gb drive and the new 1tb and use the winMFS to clone and expand... I was asking because I have been reading this post for a while and haven't seen anybody using an enclosure to do it, and I thought maybe there is a reason why
But as you said if the pc see them as a separate drives should be possible, let's try.

Now, I think I'm reading the instructions right on the mfslive.org site, but, just wanted to see if anyone had any input here.

I have the original HD and the 1GB extender for this. I figure it may be time to upgrade the internal drive as it's probably going to be on it's last legs sooner rather than later. Looking to go 2GB internal drive and getting rid of the external extender.

As I understand it I can clone them both to a single drive using this tool. Is that correct? Has anyone done it? Am I smoking crack?

Thanks for any advice you can give. If you need more information please feel free to ask and I will do my best to get that for you.

Now, I think I'm reading the instructions right on the mfslive.org site, but, just wanted to see if anyone had any input here.

I have the original HD and the 1GB extender for this. I figure it may be time to upgrade the internal drive as it's probably going to be on it's last legs sooner rather than later. Looking to go 2GB internal drive and getting rid of the external extender.

As I understand it I can clone them both to a single drive using this tool. Is that correct? Has anyone done it? Am I smoking crack?

Thanks for any advice you can give. If you need more information please feel free to ask and I will do my best to get that for you.

Moose

To start off, you would need to remove the extended drive (AKA divorce the drive) and let it boot up first without it.

Next, make sure its on the 11.0k software version (I'm sure it is as you are running the Tivo currently, but making sure).

I would not recommend the MFS Live boot CD because you have to type Linux type commands and if you typo, or get the wrong drive identifications, it could mess up the Tivo drive.

I would recommend using WinMFS (windows only, and no typing long lines) and you can copy directly to a 2tb drive from the original (Don't forget to make a backup of the original as well.) Truncated backup is fine if you do not want to preserve recordings.

If you are using Western Digital drives, you may need to use WDidle3.exe and disable or extend the auto-parking feature. Tivo cannot use it and sometimes it can interfere with bootups and restarts.

Now, I think I'm reading the instructions right on the mfslive.org site, but, just wanted to see if anyone had any input here.

I have the original HD and the 1GB extender for this. I figure it may be time to upgrade the internal drive as it's probably going to be on it's last legs sooner rather than later. Looking to go 2GB internal drive and getting rid of the external extender.

As I understand it I can clone them both to a single drive using this tool. Is that correct? Has anyone done it? Am I smoking crack?

Thanks for any advice you can give. If you need more information please feel free to ask and I will do my best to get that for you.

Moose

You might have been able to do that with a 2 internal drive Series 1 or Series 2 setup, but apparently neither MFS Live nor WinMFS can "unstripe" shows from an internal/external S3 platform setup into single intact files on a single internal drive, even if there's plenty of space.

Copy them to PC if you can, otherwise watch them and wave bye bye (or dump via real-time analog to VCR or DVD or whatever).

You might have been able to do that with a 2 internal drive Series 1 or Series 2 setup, but apparently neither MFS Live nor WinMFS can "unstripe" shows from an internal/external S3 platform setup into single intact files on a single internal drive, even if there's plenty of space.

Copy them to PC if you can, otherwise watch them and wave bye bye (or dump via real-time analog to VCR or DVD or whatever).

I think I beat you to the punch as I see my post time is the same as yours but only by a few seconds.

As I understand it I can clone them both to a single drive using this tool. Is that correct? Has anyone done it?

This can be done according to the guy I bought my 2TB plug&play drive from.

He charged extra (if I recall about $80) for this service and it required about 10 days turn around time.
Between the $$$$ I did not have (at the time) and the turn around time; I did not get the data transfer done.

You could try contacting the guy and ask if he would transfer the data from your 2 drives to your new larger drive.

This can be done according to the guy I bought my 2TB plug&play drive from.

He charged extra (if I recall about $80) for this service and it required about 10 days turn around time.
Between the $$$$ I did not have (at the time) and the turn around time; I did not get the data transfer done.

You could try contacting the guy and ask if he would transfer the data from your 2 drives to your new larger drive.

Is there a reason you're not giving contact info for this guy? Or should we just Google "the guy who sold Teeps a 2TB drive"?

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- Used WDIdle3 to stop the head parking
- Had to copy my existing 500GB TiVo drive (with no saved programs) to the new drive using the MFS-Live boot CD because WinMFS kept crashing as soon as I identified the new target drive
- Then "Expanded" and "Supersized" it from Windows7 using WinMFS
Now the info screen shows almost 300hrs of HD recording time available

- Used WDIdle3 to stop the head parking
- Had to copy my existing 500GB TiVo drive (with no saved programs) to the new drive using the MFS-Live boot CD because WinMFS kept crashing as soon as I identified the new target drive
- Then "Expanded" and "Supersized" it from Windows7 using WinMFS
Now the info screen shows almost 300hrs of HD recording time available

Thanks for all the good info in this thread!

A successfully expanded and supersized 2TB drive should show @317-318 hours of HD recording time.